Positive space is the subject of the artwork, and negative space is the area surrounding it.

• A. Positive space is the subject of the artwork, and negative space is the area surrounding it
• B. Positive space is the area around the subject
• C. Negative space is the subject, and positive space is the surrounding area
• D. Space only refers to three-dimensional depth

Answer: (A)

In composition, positive space is the area occupied by the main subject—what you see as the shapes that form the subject itself. Negative space is the space around and between those subjects. So the statement aligns with how artists think about space: the subject is the positive space, and the surrounding area is the negative space.

For example, a black silhouette of a tree on a white background uses the tree shape as positive space, while the white space around and between the branches is negative space. This idea extends to multiple objects as well—their shapes are positive space, and the gaps around them are negative space. Negative space matters because it helps define the subject and can balance the composition, and sometimes the negative space can even form its own recognizable shapes.

The other ideas mix up the roles—thinking the area around the subject is positive space or that the subject is negative space—and they don’t fit the standard definition. Also, space isn’t limited to three-dimensional depth; in art, it includes the 2D arrangement of shapes and how the surrounding area relates to the subject.